Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 4626 to 4650 of 4681 results

4626. Come and Rest

Matthew 5:3-10 · Matthew 11:28-30

Eulogy

George Reed

... and righteousness. We are called to be merciful and pure in our heart. When we find ourselves mourning, we are called to accept that. There is a beautiful passage from on old Jewish prayer book, “Though the longing within us seems more than we can bear, we know that our grief is according to our blessing. The sorrow of separation is the inevitable price of days and years of precious love; tears are the tender tribute of yearning affection for those who have passed away but cannot be forgotten.” Mourning ...

4627. Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Eulogy

George Reed

... lift up the life of [NAME]. It is good for us to come together today to support and care for one another and to celebrate the loving life [NAME] shared with us. But in the days and years ahead we will bring even more honor to her/him as we bear the unbearable, believe in the unbelievable, hope in the midst of despair, and as we endure to the end. May today not mark the end of [NAME’S] life but only a time of transition so that as she/he lives on eternally with God, she/he may continue to ...

4628. The Serpent's Tongue

John 3:14-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... negatively or against someone. In the case of the people in the wilderness, they spoke against Moses, and against God! In the case of Jesus, he was surrounded by those who spoke negatively against him. The Jewish people believed that the sin of the tongue, bearing false witness, was akin to poison spew. As we all know, words can hurt, sometimes even more than the hand! One spews venom in these kinds of “biting” attacks, venom that can harm. Or in other words, “sin bites!” All of us, at one time ...

4629. I Love You — If You Know What I Mean

1 John 3:16-24

Sermon

John B. Jamison

... the pain that is tearing her life apart. The church smiles at her and says, “God loves you so much that he is just testing you and has given you this loss to make you stronger. But don’t worry because God will never give you more than you can bear.” We could all give more examples, but let me stop here and ask the obvious question: What does it mean to love someone? We say and hear it a lot: I love you. I imagine many of us have said it a few times today. I love you. Why do ...

4630. Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

John 10:11-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... watched, and taught. But more than that, a good shepherd needs to be skilled at self-preservation, as well as a kind of “martial arts!” Shepherds were the “tough guys” of the hills. They had to fight off all kinds of predators from lions to bears to snakes to wolves! They often used rocks and a powerful sling to battle these ferocious creatures. To back down or run away would be to sacrifice the sheep to the hungry wolves. Instead, the responsible shepherd needed to stand between wolf and flock and ...

4631. “I Will Sing the Lord’s Praise, for He Has Been Good to Me”

Psalm 13:1-6

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... an Old Testament idea (Lev. 19:18) that Jesus taught as part of the second great commandment (Matt. 22:39). Moreover, we might observe that the love of oneself is a reflection of God’s own personality, for after the commandment against taking vengeance and bearing grudges in Leviticus 19, he says: “but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (ESV). We are never whole in God or complete in Christ until we have a proper attitude toward ourselves, which should be confused with neither an ...

4632. When It’s Good, It’s Really Good

John 15:9-17

Sermon

Mary Austin

... any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. In her lovely book, When the Heart Waits, author Sue Monk Kidd told about a time when she ...

4633. Anointed and Appointed

John 15:9-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... them. It’s not enough to have faith. They now must be prepared to put what they’ve learned into action, loving and healing others in Jesus’ name. For Jesus, love is an action verb. It’s time for the disciples to become apostles –to bear the fruit of Jesus’ teaching and to proclaim his resurrection hope to all who will listen. To do this, they must act, love, heal, and proclaim in real and tangible ways that matter. Today is your graduation day! In fact, every time you renew your commitment ...

4634. The Kings of the South and the North

Daniel 11:2-35

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... after the assassination of his brother Seleucus IV (see comments on 11:3–4, 21). Among his goals was the forced conversion of the Jews in and around Jerusalem. Those who opposed his Hellenizing efforts faced death. Coins from this era bear the arrogant title “Theos Epiphanes” (“God Manifest”), which his critics pronounced “Epimanes” (“madman”; Polybius, Hist. 26.1.1). Key events in his rule include the murder of the Jewish high priest Onias III (171 BC), two wars with the Ptolemies ...

4635. Zion's New Name

Isaiah 62:1-12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... mg.). The idea is not that the literal name of the city is replaced by another but that the city’s transformation makes it appropriate to give her an extra name (cf. the note with which Ezekiel closes, 48:35). This is so not least because she has been bearing an extra name, Deserted, and that needs to be replaced. The estranged couple are back together again. To mix metaphors, the estranged wife who is now a bride again will not merely wear a garland (61:3; NIV reads crown of beauty) but be one (62:3; NIV ...

4636. The Lord Abhors the Pride of Israel

Amos 6:8-14

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... in its courts and society. It has turned justice into poison: When the oppressed have turned to the courts, the one place where they could expect to find relief, they have experienced deadly injustice instead. And when righteous acts have been expected to bear fruit in the society, they have been rewarded only with bitter disappointment, in a terrible reversal of ethical standards. The normal, God-given order of Israel’s society is out of whack, distorted by corruption and sin (cf. Jer. 5:7; Jer. 2 ...

4637. Do You Believe in Miracles?

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... we don’t need to be actual farmers to plant the way God intended. In fact, God’s directive to us from the time of the Garden of Eden asked us to “till and keep” the covenant of God between our divine Creator and all of humankind, and to bear the fruit of that relationship to all generations. We are seed bearers and sowers. We are to plant the seeds of love, hope, prayer, and the gospel and allow God to work the miracles among people that only God can do. That only God can do. Jesus’ commissioning ...

4638. Gathered Around Jesus

Mark 6:30-34; 53-56

Sermon

David Coffin

... is very similar to a person who works in an office or shop who has many assignments and projects to do. All are labeled as: “urgent, immediate attention required, or hot job!” In some organizations, there are people who are the work horses that are willing to bear the brunt of the work assignments and will not leave until they are close to completion. There are others who watch the clock and are out the door when the second hand hits the last hour hand of the day. Jesus and his disciples were in the ...

4639. The Case of the Hardened Heart

John 6:1-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , a core group to build upon. How do we make that choice? Faith. Simple, and yet it feels so hard. That’s why we need Jesus, who says to us this: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus’ miracle of the loaves, which his own disciples did not understand, assures us that the little can become many, as long as you trust in the miraculous power of Jesus to multiply and feed people in dynamic and spiritual ...

4640. But, Why?

Titus 3:4-7

Sermon

Scott Bryte & Kimberly Miller van Driel

... decorations, even when you see the candy canes and the inflatable snowmen, know that God chose to be in the world and in your life because God loves you. Know that God was born for you, lived for you, died for you, and rose for you. Know that God cannot bear to leave you. Know that God is always with you. Know that God loves you. Merry Christmas! Amen.

4641. The Power of Weakness

Mark 8:27-38 · Psalm 19

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... of creation. One prominent preacher said, “You cannot succeed preaching the cross. People do not want to hear it; they already have enough problems.”[1] And at one level I think he’s correct. What do we mean when we say, “We all have our crosses to bear?” You’ve said that; I’ve said it. We mean everyone’s got problems. “You want to complain, go ahead, but you’re not alone. In fact, if it’s a contest, my problems are probably worse than yours!” So, what was Jesus thinking trying to ...

4642. A Responsive Prayer for Advent 1

Luke 21:26-36 · 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 · Psalm 25 · Jeremiah 33:14-16

Bulletin Aid

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

... when he comes. C: Hear us and come, Jesus, our righteous branch. P: Christ our coming Messiah, we pray for your whole church around the world; especially we remember Christians who suffer persecution for your name’s sake. May your Holy Spirit strengthen them to bear faithful witness to you and your gospel, to touch the hearts, minds, and lives of their persecutors; that they too may come to a repentance of their sins and confess you as their Lord and Savior. The days are surely coming, says the LORD: C ...

4643. A Responsive Prayer for Advent 2

Luke 1:68-79; 3:1-6 · Philippians 1:3-11 · Malachi 3:1-4

Bulletin Aid

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

... wilderness of this world. Help us to prepare the way of the Lord, straighten out the crooked paths of injustice and evil, fill the dark valleys of death with your light and life, lower the mountains and hills of our pride with your humility that we may bear our crosses faithfully, and make our rough ways of anger and aggressiveness smooth with your gentleness and peace. God of Advent: C: Have mercy on us and come. P: God of the poor and suffering millions; help us to be your people of compassion and justice ...

4644. A Responsive Prayer for Advent 3

Luke 3:7-18 · Philippians 4:4-7 · Isaiah 12:2-6 · Zephaniah 3:14-20

Bulletin Aid

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

... nations. Grant us the gift of joy: C: We rejoice in Jesus our coming Messiah. P: God of judgment and grace, in the person and minis- try of John the baptizer, you remind us that every day we are in need of repentance. Help us to bear good fruit from our repentance by sharing our material possessions generously with those in greatest need by living ethical, moral upright lives in the workplace, by addressing the root causes of injustices in our community, nation, and world, and by being content with all that ...

4645. It’s Lonely At The Top

Mark 9:38-50 · Esther 7:1-10; 9:20-22 · Psalm 124 · Numbers 11:4-29

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... leaders were really alone. Esther had Mordecai. Moses had the Lord, then a sizable board of directors. Jesus had his disciples — and it appears, some freelancers. None of these leaders was ever truly alone. The burden on leadership is heavy and taxing, but much easier to bear when one is not leading in isolation. Yes, it’s lonely at the top, but it doesn’t have to be! Have salt in yourself, and in those around you. Good leadership is rooted in deep integrity — the salt in oneself Jesus spoke of, but ...

4646. For the Love of Children

Mark 10:2-16

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... only in Jesus but in humankind. For Jesus has harsh words indeed for those who do not. We are not simply called to compassion, a loving nature, and a caring spirit. But we are called as disciples to take up the cross! To bear responsibility and accountability for our congregations, our community members, and our neighbors and to defend the weak, protect the innocent, give voice to the voiceless. We are called to a responsibility, to accountability, to take discipleship seriously. To not only listen to these ...

4647. Bold Faith

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... I’m going to be killed God! He argued. In the end he went. And look what happened then! Jonah –well, we all know about him. He tried everything to get out of speaking to the Ninevites. God’s grace and forgiveness for those rascals was just too much to bear! But God used his meager voice to make a big, loud impact anyway! This all didn’t end back then. In the times to come too, Ananias would beg the risen Jesus not to send him to retrieve Saul, who had been murdering every Christian he could get his ...

4648. When Following Is Not Enough

Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Sermon

John B. Jamison

... please heal his son. Jesus paused. In my mind, he looked at his disciples, most likely directly at Peter, James, and John and he said, “How much longer do I have to put up with you? You faithless and distracted generation! How much longer do I have to bear this?” Then Jesus saw the young boy begin to have another seizure. Jesus spoke a word, and the boy was quiet. With a word, Jesus healed the young child and gave him back to his father whole and healthy. And we are told that everyone there was amazed ...

4649. Courage to Break

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... a horizon of freshness and promise. And this time, Jesus tells us, we don’t need to carry the loads of our decisions on our own –for his “yoke” is easy and his burden light. When Jesus walks along with us, nothing feels too difficult to bear, and no place we go will we “go it alone.” Temptation can feel like a beautiful relief sometimes when our lives feel pressured with choices we don’t know how to make. But instead of “breaking bad,” let your spirit be “broken,” for you were never ...

4650. Do You Think That I Have Come To Bring Peace?

Luke 12:49-56

Sermon

Will Willimon

... ourselves that there is some means of holding convictions without requiring the suffering of our friends and our families. So we make “love” an individual emotion which does not ask someone else to suffer because we love them. But to marry someone, to bear a child into the world always involves requiring someone else to suffer because of our loves and commitments. Recently, when I was working on a book on the problem of “burnout” among clergy, many pastors complained to me that it was unfair for ...

Showing results